Beverage mixing machine



March 21,1950 5^. DOMACK mi. -2,501,441"' BEVERAGE MIXING MACHINE FiledDec. 13, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS John J Rutkawski Stanze LA.Donzack y i Da nczl 'zlsslez]` March 21, 1950 s. A. DOMACK Erm.2,501,441

BEVERAGE MIXING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13, 1948 2 Sherets-Sl'xeeiz INVENTOR;John .I Rafkowskz Std/lle A Domczck Patented Mar. 21, 1950 BEVERAGEMIXING MACHINE Stanley A. Domack, John J. Rutkowski, and Donald L.Sissler, Oshkosh, Wis., assignors to Keenline Equipment Corporation,

Oshkosh,

Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 13, 1948, SerialNo. 65,012

2 claims.. (o1. 259-57) ThisA invention relates to improvements inbeverage mixing machines.- Machines for mixing the constituents. ofbottled beverages, that is, the sirup and charged water of soft drinksfollowing the bottle iilling and capping operations, have been developedand are in commercial use. Some such machines agitate the capped bottlesafter they have been packed in cases or in cartons while others are ofthe type that agitate the bottles to eiiect the mixing of the' contentsprior to the packaging of the bottles. The present improvements relateto machines of the latter type and particularly to improvements in themachine shown in the Domack et al. application, Serial No. 48,416, iiledSeptember 9, 1948.

The machine of the type. referred to is provided with a rotor thatoperates on a horizontal axis and carries on its periphery a number ofopen-ended radially arranged cells into one end of each of which duringeach rotation a filled and capped bottle enters and at the other end ofwhich at each rotation, after the cell has been fully loaded, a bottleis discharged. Such cells are arranged to hold from four to six bottlesgenerally, depending on the amount of agitation required in properlymixing the constituents of the bottled beverage for the mixing of whichthe machine has been designed. Hence, each bottle that enters themachine at one end of the cell is rotated the number of times thatcorresponds to the bottle holding capacity of the cells of the machine.Generally, cells that hold six bottles each are preferred since it hasbeen found that rotating the bottle about a horizontal axis six timeseffects a thorough mixing of most soft drinks. In some instances, afewer number of rotations is satisfactory and hence, the cells of somesuch machines may have a smaller bottle holding capacity. In machines ofthe type referred to during the mixing cycle of a particular bottle, thebottle is advanced one stepcorre spending approximately. 'to' thelbottle' diameteralong the cell from the intake end toward the dischargeend thereof upon each rotation until, upon completing the iinalrotation, the bottle is discharged from the cell upon a conveyor thatcarries it to a position'for packaging for delivery to customers or forstorage.

In the machine of the type herein under consideration, a deliveryconveyor is provided that receives freshly lled and capped bottles inupright position and delivers them in succession to. an infeed stationofthe machine in which station the bottles are tilted'into contact witha bottle deiiector that directs them from the conveyor through apassage-way and into the open intake ends of the cells during rotationof the cells in registration with the passage-way. Since the bottlesmust move from the delivery conveyor into the cells as for insuring thatsuccessive bottles will move completely into the receiving ends ofsuccessive cells, rather than only partially into the cells and thus jamthe machine, is desirable.

The present invention relates to such control means and one object ofthe invention is to provide, in combination with such mixing machine,improved mechanism for timing or synchronizing the movements ofsuccessive bottles from the delivery conveyor to an infeed passage withrespect to the movement of the respective receiving cells successivelyinto a bottle receiving position for the purpose of insuring that thebottles will enter the cells fully and thus avoid damage to the bottlesby becoming jammed between an edge of the cell and a stationary portionof the machine defining the passage-way through which the bottles aredirected.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a machine of the typementioned, a control mechanism that can readily be synchronizedoperationally with the rotative movements of the bottle-receiving cellsof the machine rotor.

Other objects of the invention relate to various features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from aconsideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure l is a broken side elevation of a machine which is illustrativeof the present improveme'nts;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken plan view of the portion of the machineadjacent the control mechanism at the bottle infeed side of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a broken top plan view of the portion of the machine adjacentthe bottle discharge side of the rotor;

Fig. 4 is a broken end elevation of the portionof the machine shown inFig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a brokensectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. l; and Fig. 6is a side elevational viewv 'of a sheet metal bottle holding cell shownin detached relation, the same being indicated as being filled withbottles as during a mixing operation.

In the drawings, the machine illustrated is provided with side plates Iil which support a horizontal shaft H that is mounted in bearingscarried by the side plates and which carries a rotor structure indicatedby the numeral l 2. The

. rotor shown is illustrated as comprising hexago-- f nal e'nd plates,since in the particular machine selected for the purpose ofillustration, six cells are employed. The rotor is disposed between theside plates and is driven by any approved means such as a belt i3operated preferably by the latter move through a relatively small angleof arc, control means,

a speed reduction mechanism i4, which in turn is operated by an electricmotor i5.

The rotor I2 carries six open-ended cells each indicated by the numeraliB. Preferably these cells are made of sheet metal and are of suitablewidth and height for receiving the bottles. In

instances, as described in the above-identified Y application wherebottles of smaller diameter or lesser height are to be used in themachine, appropriate filler members are inserted in the cells. Suchmembers are not shown in the present drawings. The machine is providedwith a delivery conveyor I1 of any suitable length and to which aresupplied the bottles b that have been freshly lled and capped and whichare to be agitated by the machine for the purpose of effecting mixing ofthe constituents of the contained beverage. The conveyor H is shown asbeing supported by a sprocket i8 at one end and by a sprocket I9 at theother end. the latter sprocket being l mounted on the shaft H andoperated thereby. Adjacent the conveyor H outer and inner guard rails 2)and 2| are provided for confining the bottles in tandem relationship intheir movement along the conveyor, upright position on the conveyor asindicated in Fig. l, until they move in succession through the Verticalplane passing through the shaft H when, due to the fact that theconveyor passes around the sprocket I9. the bottles are tilted to theright (as viewed in said figure) until they assume a position of bottleB. As a bottle tilts to the position of bottle B, it is engaged by acurved bottle deflector member 22 (see Fig. 2)

which directs the inclined bottle laterally from the conveyor toward therotor. A stationary guard plate 23 is provided adjacent the ends of thecells I6 which normally serves as an end closure member for the cellsexcept when a cell is in registration with a passage-way 24 in the platewhich is arranged radially of the rotor at about an angle of 30 to thevertical. The width of the passage-way 24 enables a bottle, such as abottle B, to roll under the added impetus given to it by the tiltingmovement above mentioned through the passage-way into the open end ofthe cell i6 When a cell is in registration with the passage-Way. Hence,as the bottles are fed to the infeed station which may be considered asthe region at which the bottle begins to tilt and roll laterally alongthe deilector 22, they move in succession from the conveyor intosuccessive cells as the latter move into registration with thepassage-way 24.

If it be assumed that a cell has received a bottle in the end portionthereof. such bottle will be shifted along the cell one step to a secondbottle position by a bottle shifting member 25 which is secured to theplate 23 and which by camming action advances the bottle to the secondposition as the bottle holding cell completes its iirst completerotation after receiving the bottle in question. For the purpose ofenabling the shifting member 25 to so advance the bottles in ther cellsthe latter are provided with cut-outs 21 as indicated in Fig. 6. Betweenadjacent cells at the. bottle-receiving ends thereof, filler members 23are provided which may be of metal or of Wood. and are likewise providedwith slots which form continuations of slots 2l for accommodating thestationary shifting member 25 during rotation of the rotor. Hence, aseach cell reaches the uppermost vertical position in the arrangementillustrated, the bottle shifting member advances all the bottles in thatcell one step The bottles move in toward the opposite or discharge endsof the cells. When the cells have been filled, that is, when any cellcontains six bottles in a six-bottle cell machine, the completion of thenext rotation will effect the discharge of a bottle from the cell upon areceiving conveyor 29 and thus provide space at the intake end of therespective cell for receiving the bottle that is next deflected throughthe passage-way 24 by the deector 22.

As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, receiving conveyor 29 extendsadjacent the discharge end of the rotor for receiving bottles dischargedin succession from respective cells as the cells move into the dischargeposition. The conveyor delivers the agitated bottles to a packingstation generally where the bottles are packed for shipment or storage.The conveyor 29 may be operated from a sprocket (not shown) mounted onthe shaft Il. l

Since the bottles move from the delivery conveyor il into the cells ofthe constantly rotating rotor, it is desirable, in assuring smoothoperation of the machine that bottles be directed into the passage-Way24 in such timed relation with respect to the movements of the receivingcells that the bottles will pass fully into the cells rather than onlypart way in and thus become jammed between the trailing vertical edgesof the cells and a stationary portion of the passageway. For the purposeof synchronizing the movement of bottles from the receiving stationthrough the passage-way with respect to the movements of the cells insuccession into registration with the passage-way, suitable controlmechanism has been provided. In the form of the mechanism illustrated, astar wheel 3D is provided which is mounted on a vertical shaft 3l andextends partially over the conveyor l1 so that the teeth of the starwheel will obstruct passage of the bottles approaching the deiiector 22.The star wheel 30 is provided with a hub 32 having pins 33 projectingradially therefrom, the pins corresponding in number to the points ofthe wheel. In the instance shown, a sixpointed wheel is provided andhence, there are six of the pins 33. A pawl 34 is shown pivotallymounted at 35 and having an arm 36 that is provided with a cam followeror roller 31 which contacts a cam 38 shown as being mounted on the endof the shaft Il. The cam is secured to the end of the shaft by a setscrew 39 which enables the cam to be adjusted angularly upon the shaftto a position which insures that the equally spaced cam surfaces orprotuberances 40 will successively engage the follower 3l' in properlytimed relation hereinafter referred to. The upper arm 4l of the pawl isprovided with a pin engaging portion 42 adapted to engage the pins 33successively for arresting rotation of the star wheel in a clockwisedirection as viewed in Fig. 2 under the propelling force exerted thereonby the contacting bottles on the conveyor Il. Whenever the pawl isoperated clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 4 by one of the cammembers M1 for releasing the engaged pin 33. the star wheel is free tomove on the shaft 3i. Hence a bottle such as a bottle b shown in Fig. 2will be freed for further movement to the right for Contact with thebottle deflector 22 when the pawl is next actuated to releasing positionfrom the position shown in Fig. 4. Thecam 38 is so positioned on theshaft ll that the release of a. successive bottle from the position ofbottle b' shown in Fig. 2 occurs at the instant such that the bottlewill move into contact with the bottle deflector 22 and through thepassage 24 as the next receiving cell moves into registration with thepassage 24 whereby such bottle can move fully into the cell withoutjamming the machine. It will be seen, therefore, that as successivebottles move along the conveyor l1 to the infeed station of the machine,their movement will be arrested by the star wheel when the latter isengaged by the pawl and will be released by the action of the cam 38 toinsure synchronization of the movement of the bottles successivelythrough the passage-way 24 with respect to the movement of successivecells into bottle-receiving position with respect to the passage-way.

The shaft 3l upon which the star wheel 30 is mounted may be supported inproper position by a member 43, or the like, secured to the frame memberl of the machine. A suitable enclosure may be provided around thecontrol mechanism above described, if desired.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the bottlesmoving along the conveyor I7 to the infeed station have their movementcontrolled by the star wheel as they move into the infeed station andare released seriatum in properly timed relation for deflection by themember 22 through the passage 24 into the open ends of the cells as thecells move into registration with the passage-way to insure a smoothlyoperating machine.

It will be understood that in the particular machine described above,each bottle makes six complete rotations with the rotor before it isdischarged upon the receiving conveyor 29, all the bottles in the cellbeing shifted one step toward the discharge end as each cell moves bythe bottle shifting member 25 during each rotation of the rotor. Henceduring each rotation, the machine normally receives six bottles anddischarges six bottles. Where a machine has a different number of cells,different but similar control means are provided therefor for insuringsynchronization of deflection of bottles into the cells, as abovedescribed. Adjacent the discharge ends of the cells a stationary plate44 is provided that prevents displacement of bottles from the cellsexcept as each cell registers with a discharge passage 45 (shown in Fig.3) through which the bottles are ejected from the machine by the cammingaction on the bottles of the respective cells afforded by the shiftingmember 25. Adjacent the discharge opening 45 a stabilizer member 46preferably is provided in the form of a rubber strap that preventsbottles from tipping over as they are discharged upon the conveyor 29.

While we have shown and described a structure which is illustrative ofour invention, various changes in the details may be made in thestructure without departure from the spirit of the invention defined bythe following claims.

We claim:

1. A machine for mixing the constituents of a beverage in bottles byrotating the bottles about a horizontal axis while disposed in radialplanes comprising a rotor mounted on a horizontal axis and provided witha plurality of open-ended radially arranged cells into which the bottlesare fed at one end and discharged at the other end, a stationary closurefor the intake ends of the cells provided with an infeed passagedisposed in a position for registration with the intake ends of eachcell during each rotation of the rotor and through which passage thebottles pass successively into the open ends of succeeding cells as thelatter move seriatum into registration with said passage, a bottledelivery conveyor for delivering bottles in tandem relationship to aposition adjacent said passage, means for'deflecting bottles from theconveyor at said position for movement through said passage, andmechanism comprising a star wheel projecting over the conveyor into thepath of travel of the bottles thereon for engagement with and movementby bottles moving along the conveyor, means for automatically latchingthe star wheel against movement following a predetermined angularmovement thereof in releasing a bottle for arresting movement of asucceeding bottle along the conveyor toward said deflector, and camcontrolled means for releasing said latching means to effect release bysaid star wheel of the succeeding engaged bottles seriatum in timedrelation with respect to predetermined angular positions of said cellsfor movement of the released bottles by the conveyor to the deflectorand deflection by the latter through said passage in synchronism withthe registration of the open ends of successive cells with said passage.

2. A machine for mixing the constituents of a beverage in bottles byrotating the bottles about a horizontal axis while disposed in radialplanes comprising a rotor mounted on a horizontal axis and provided witha plurality of open-ended radially arranged cells into which the bottlesare fed at one end and discharged at the other end, a stationary closurefor the intake ends of the cells provided with an infeed passagedisposed in a position for registration with the intake ends of eachcell during each rotation of the rotor and through which passage thebottles pass successively into the open ends of succeeding cells as thelatter move seriatum into registration with said passage, a bottledelivery conveyor for delivering bottles in tandem relationship to aposition adjacent said passage, means for deflecting bottles from theconveyor at said position for movement through said passage, andmechanism for controlling the delivery of bottles by the conveyor tosaid deflector for deflection seriatum by the latter through saidpassage as the cells move in succession into bottle receiving positionwith respect to said passage, said mechanism comprising a rotatable starwheel extending over said conveyor for engagement and arcuate movementby successive bottles moving along the conveyor, a holding pawl forengaging said star wheel for arresting movement of successive bottlestowards said deector, and a rotatable cam for actuating the pawl foreffecting the release of successive bottles by the star wheel as thecells move successively into a predetermined angular position withrespect to said passage.

STANLEY A. DOMACK.

JOHN J. RUTKOWSKI.

DONALD L. SISSLER.

Imaginations CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,355,032 Brown Oct. 5, 19202,043,621 Judd June 9, 1936 2,174,256 Chilton Sept. 26, 1939 2,265,803Davis Dec. 9, 1941 2,281.791 Newton May 5, 1942

